How Brianna Ghey's teen murderers became obsessed with serial killers and may have targeted another victim

2 February 2024, 12:39

Brianna Ghey's teenage killer Scarlett Jenkinson became obsessed with serial killers - and detectives fear her and Eddie Ratcliffe may have gone on to target another victim.

The pair stabbed the trans teenager to death in Culcheth, near Warrington, in February last year.

Jenkinson started fantasising about murder from the age of 14 and used a browser to search the dark web for "red rooms" that show real torture and killing videos.

While she appeared to be a "normal kid", the now 16-year-old actually kept notes about her fantasies on death, torture, murder and serial killers in her bedroom.

Read more: 'How come I'm a suspect?': Brianna Ghey's killer sobs as police body cam shows moment she's arrested

Police have described her as having a "thirst for killing", which only grew in time. She shared her morbid obsession with Ratcliffe, also now 16.

Jenkinson told Ratcliffe she was a "satanist" who had an obsession with Richard Ramirez, the "Night Stalker", and Jeffrey Dahmer, and she also appeared to idolise the character Sweeney Todd.

She had handwritten notes on the "Killer Clown", John Wayne Gacy, including phrases like "raped victims", "last words - kiss my ass" and "33 victims".

Read more: 'Warped' teenagers with 'thirst for killing' who murdered trans schoolgirl Brianna Ghey unmasked

Discussing a child, Boy M, in the October before Brianna's killing, Jenkinson messaged Ratcliffe: "If we kill Boy M, can I keep some things, a couple of teeth and an eye."

They encountered Brianna after Jenkinson was transferred to her school, Birchwood High, in November 2022.

They made friends but over time Jenkinson and Ratcliffe were drawing up a "kill list" of five people they believed they should murder over minor issues.

Brianna, a shy and vulnerable teenager who usually didn't leave her home and had few friends, represented to the pair an easy kill.

Jenkinson, who had bought a hunting knife, said she wanted to stab her "jus coz its fun lol... I want to see the pure horror on her face and hear her scream".

They tried to murder her by having her overdose on tablets, knowing she was depressed and anxious.

But when that plot failed they lured her to Linear Park in Culcheth and launched a frenzied attack.

Both 15 at the time, they stabbed her 28 times in the head, neck, back and chest.

Jenkinson wrongly believed they would evade being caught because local police were "sh**e".

After being detained, she was diagnosed with "conduct dissocial disorder" as experts gave evidence that knew what she was doing wrong.

She even went on to write up a second "kill list" after being held in a secure unit, naming some of those who cared for her.

Ratcliffe, meanwhile, is considered non-verbal and was diagnosed with a "mild" form of autism.